The Tigers of Chi-Ha-Tan ReRise Volume 3: The Tigresses Trial

For We Follow The Nishizumi Style

It was then along this river that Koume took lead since she didn't want Miho to be in danger. That's when it happen, Koume had gotten too overconfident chasing, feeling the joy of wanting to prove she could be a great tank commander like Miho and didn't account for how close she had gotten to the edge of the road and fell off the steep muddy slope and into the river. Her hatch was close at the time, and in her panic, as water began to fill the tank with her crew wondering if they were going to die, she couldn't get it open.

She had thought that would be the end.

The end wouldn't come, as Miho had dove into the river after them, to open their hatch. Even with her own life in danger and abandoning the match, Miho only care for the lives of her team. She got the hatch open allowing them to escape, once they were ashore, Koume along with her entire crew hug Miho, who were glad they were alright.

Yet afterward was where things became dark, as Kuromorimine for the first time in 9 years wasn't a champion. The third years at the time had to vent their frustration for being the first to fail, the first target was Miho, but that only lasted a little bit since Shiho and Maho both made it evident that there would be consequences if they pursue any further.

With one path cut off, the third years went after Koume and her crew since they were the ones who had slip up, causing Miho to go save them. They must have thought Maho wouldn't intervene on the behalf of a first-year tank commander and her crew. Koume though frighten, took the bullies on by herself, saving her crew from whatever they were going to do. As the third years were about to bully Koume, Maho show up alone and told them if they could beat her in a fight, then they could continue their bullying. Her ferocious look alone made them back off, Nishizumi or not.

Koume who was grateful for her commander sticking up for her, while still feeling deep regret about what happened in the final match because she didn't pay attention, ran to Maho. She cried into her commander's chest begging her to forgive her, yet Maho didn't want her forgiveness. Maho was only glad she wasn't hurt and that if she or any of her crew were bullied, she could come to her for protection. Afterward, none of the third years bother with going after anyone else, while Koume resolve to honor both sisters for what they did for her.

Though it was heartbreaking for Miho to leave their school, Koume still blame herself and why she never reach out again to her, feeling she should have done something more to make her stay instead of just accepting it. Yet Miho was now in a happier place at Chi-Ha-Tan, fighting with her own style and taking a small team to new heights. As sad as Koume was to not be able to fight alongside her good friend, she was happier knowing she found her love for Sensha-do again, just like Koume had found hers now, fighting under beloved commander Maho.

"Hey Koume, I think I got something," Kiragaya said once more over the net.

"What you've got?" Koume ask with eagerness.

"I think your gut feeling prove right. I see movement coming down the road out of the woods to our front," Kirigaya said excitedly, desperate to get into a scrap, which was how the rest of Koume's platoon tank commanders and crews felt.

Now standing tall in the commanders cupola, Koume took in the sight of their current location. They had positioned themselves along a small hill's reverse slope that was filled with brush. Looking down to the beautiful rolling countryside, she took it in as this was about to be the sight of a skirmish with Bellwall.

Her Panther along with 3 Panzer 4 Ausf.F2's, arm with 75 mm KwK40 L43 cannon's, waited in a Hull-Down position with good spacing. Yet this platoon wasn't using the total plain tan paint scheme that Kuromorimine usually used on most of their tanks.

Koume who was inspired by Miho's new team saw the advantages of the Chi-Ha-Tans color scheme for camouflage, including the Tiger 1 that had the brown color, splash with yellow and green for excellent camo for their ambushes. With special permission from Maho some hours before the match, Koume along with some help from their large mechanic worker force had her Panther, along with her platoon's Panzer 4's recolored while keeping the tan as the base color to save time, but splashing green and black over it to help conceal them in this countryside setting.